IT’S been one of the biggest talking points in Sunraysia over the past month. Just where should the State Government build a new hospital precinct in Mildura?
Talk has largely centred on it being on a greenfield site or at the showgrounds, with the social media response indicating the former is the best option.
Last week, two community leaders tried to shut down this debate, saying it was premature and had become over-politicised.
I disagree. I say, let the conversation roll on.
Why stifle debate now when the community is engaged on such an important issue?
One thing that has disturbed me in recent years is the lack of community consultation on various local projects and planning reports.
I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been contacted by concerned residents and key stakeholders about being shut out of projects that directly affected them.
Even though this isn’t an official community consultation period, it’s terrific to see so many locals talking about the pros and cons of several possible new hospital locations.
The Liberal candidate for this year’s State Election, Paul Matheson, is confident the government will opt for the showgrounds site to build a new multi-level hospital, university campus, car parking, retail and the like.
It’s still an unknown, but imagine for a moment what a boon this could be for SFNL clubs Imperials and Mildura Demons, along with Mildura East Cricket Club, which are all based at No.1 Oval.
Mildura Council would receive a hefty sum of money for the land, which could then be reinvested in major upgrades of other existing sites, such as the Aero Ovals.
More problematic, though, would be where to ‘rehome’ the Show Society and the trots.
Leading local harness-racing trainer/driver Luke Watson blew up last month at the prospect of the trots being booted out of City Oval.
That view was shared by other industry participants I spoke with, along with Harness Racing Victoria.
The Victorian Health Building Authority is due to complete a master plan on the capital pathway for a new hospital, which is estimated to cost north of $700 million, by the end of this month.
Mildura Base Public Hospital chief executive Terry Welch last year gave an insight into what was being investigated by the building authority.
“The assessment will determine whether or not they think they can rejuvenate what we have – investing a lot of money on our current site – or they agree that we need a greenfield site,” he said.
“They’ll work out how much physical space we need from a building point of view and then, with architects and specialists, they’ll design a hospital to accommodate that level of service.”
Among those in the greenfield corner are long-time local developers, Larry Dimasi and Bob Faulkhead.
Both say that a new hospital should be built in the biggest growth area of Mildura, near the new sporting precinct on Sixteenth Street.
They conceded the showgrounds site could be “doable” for a hospital precinct, but that it would require major upgrades of the area’s road network, among many other things.
Faulkhead said this would be factored into the building authority’s near billion-dollar price tag for a new hospital.
For me, whether it’s eventually built in town or on a greenfield site, the community debate is gold.
